Johnny Knox's Retirement Reminds Us NFL Players Risk It All for Entertainment

Bleacher Report | Feb 14

As former Chicago Bears wide receiver Johnny Knox lay on the ground back in 2011, I distinctly remember discussing with a friend of mine my concerns that he might never play again, and his recent retirement confirmed those fears.

According to Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears released Knox on Tuesday. He retired from the game shortly thereafter (h/t Sean Jensen, Chicago Sun-Times), never able to fully physically or mentally recover from the events that took place.

Injuries are—and forever will be—part of the game of football. I get that. But what I don't get is that I still see people indiscriminately celebrating big hits these days as if they had personal beef with the player on the ground.

Don't get me wrong, I love when a hard, clean tackle dislodges the ball from the hands of a receiver. There is no purer and potentially game-saving play in the sport, and I fully believe that those types of hits can and should remain in the NFL as long as rule and safety reform continues.